By Marlon Munroe
Host nation Guyana ended its championship bid when they crashed out of the WICB Senior Women’s Challenge 50-over tournament with a three-wicket defeat to St. Vincent and the Grenadines at the Police Sports Club ground yesterday.
Guyana, who won the toss and batted, were eventually bowled out for 153 runs in 49.1 overs after struggling at 78-8.
Middle-order batter Darlene Gale (45), like she did in Guyana’s first game against Trinidad & Tobago, rescued Guyana’s waning innings when she featured in a 50-run partnership with West Indies player Erva Giddings (21).
St. Vincent, in reply, eased to 154-7 from 46.1 overs with a resilient half century coming from opening batter Cordel Jack (51), who featured in vital partnerships with Juliana Nero and her captain Sheree-Ann John. The win for St. Vincent left Guyana as the only team in Zone B without a win.
Trinidad &Tobago with two wins lead the group after they handsomely beat Grenada by two wickets yesterday.
Grenada also has a win.
Earlier, when Guyana batted they found themselves in early trouble as their openers failed to replicate the solid start as was the case in their first match. Phernel Charles started Guyana’s demise when she had Devanaie Seenarine caught by Clea Hoyte for five (9-1) then trapped wicketkeeper June Thomas lbw also for five (15-2) as the Vincentians bowled wicket to wicket on a pitch that provided some bounce and conditions conducive for swing.
The stylish under-19 West Indies player Shemaine Campbell and Tremayne Smartt attempted a revival but John thwarted this effort when she had Smartt caught by Melissa Billingy for 12 (35-3) and soon after had Guyana’s Captain, Zaheeda Samdally without any movement on the scoreboard, caught by Camille Garrick for naught (35-4).
Campbell trudged on in her 54-ball vigil hitting a four and a six but John rained on her parade when she had Campbell caught by Juliana Nero for 19 (52-5). Two runs later Jack had Subrina Munroe stumped by wicketkeeper Nicole Samuel for nought (54-6). At 65-7 Prudence Williams, after hitting a six was bowled by Terisha Levia and Olivia O’Selmo was run out for 5 (78-8).
At this point it seemed as if Guyana would have folded as there were some nervous times at the beginning of the partnership with Gale and Giddings. But quickly Gale took control and guided Giddings as the two started turning over the strike while adding the odd boundary.
Eventually Guyana’s hundred came up in the 34th over and the half century partnership in 55 minutes from 72 balls. The two had scored two boundaries each until Giddings was caught behind off a thin edge by Samuel off the bowling of Charles for 21 (128-9). Joann Vansertima joined forces with Gale and the two took Guyana to a score of respectability.
John and Charles finished with 3-31 and 3-36 respectively whilst Jack and Lavia finished with one wicket each.
In St. Vincent’s turn at the crease they lost early wickets at nine and 11 but subsequently, meaningful partnerships coupled with the 25 extras that Guyana afforded them assisted their cause. Jack brought up her half century with a pull to the midwicket boundary off the bowling of Seenarine but Seenarine held the last say when the next ball she was caught by Giddings at short fine leg attempting another pull shot for 51.
The stylish right-hander Nero made a cameo 29 which included five boundaries from 37 balls whilst John with four boundaries in her brief inning was the other top contributor to St. Vincent’s win.
Bowling for Guyana Samdally was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets for 30 runs whilst Giddings, Smartt, Williams, Munroe and Vansertima had one wicket apiece.
In the other Group B match T&T were much too strong for Grenada when they steamrolled the ladies from the Spice Isle by 10 wickets over at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground. T&T won the toss and sent Grenada to bat but in the 40th over the team was dismissed for 73 with extras contributing 20.
Grenada’s top batter was Marlyn Nelson with 18 runs whilst Marlyn Ettiene scored 10 (2×4) runs. T&T’s offspinner Alisa Mohammed grabbed 3-12 (9.5) while Stacy-Ann King and Anisa Mohammed had figures of 2-25 (8) and 2-9 (10) respectively.
When T&T took the crease opening batter Amanda Samaroo top scored with an unbeaten 38* (3×4) from 56 balls and Devika Singh also was left not out on 21 for T&T to finish on 76 without loss from 16.1 overs.
Today Barbados will play St. Lucia at Everest whilst defending champions Jamaica will clash with Dominica at Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground.
